As part of Paris Fashion Week, adidas Originals transformed the TTGT Studio on June 26 and 27 into a two-day creative residency centered around the Stan Smith.
The immersive format placed the sneaker—a cultural icon—within a contemporary fashion context and demonstrated why its minimalist design continues to serve as a blank canvas for creativity, self-expression, and cultural interpretation.
The focus was on the idea of the Stan Smith as a functional, instantly recognizable object: clear in form, understated in expression, yet firmly rooted in fashion, art, music, and skateboarding. Together with TTGT, adidas Originals invited a range of artists, musicians, and creatives to reinterpret this ethos in various formats.
Mathilde Vallantin Dulac kicked off the residency with a curated selection of functional green objects that interpreted the Stan Smith from both a design and practical perspective.
Yung Lean transformed a room into a live spray-painting installation, while James Blake presented new and older works in an intimate session, exploring the relationship between the artist and the tools of music production.
Mark Gonzales collaborated with the adidas Skate Team at the intersection of skateboarding and art, placing the skateboard—much like the Stan Smith—at the center as a simple, iconic object with cultural heritage.
Cyprien Gaillard presented *Untitled*, a work in which smoke from a tunnel slowly obscures and then reveals the landscape.
Thibaut Grevet used the space as a temporary portrait studio for the participating artists and, at the same time, offered a first glimpse into his project FAR.
Musically, too, the residency focused on minimalism and presence: Ibeyi focused on voice, percussion, rhythm, and intuition, while London-based soul artist Debbie, together with a 12-member gospel choir, created a “sound sanctuary” as a tranquil counterpoint to the fast pace of Fashion Week.
Guillermo Santomà rounded out the program with a lounge installation that centered on materiality, function, and interaction.
The Stan Smith Residency was rounded out by an archival exhibition featuring selected models from the adidas archive in Herzogenaurach.
In addition to historical references, adidas Originals also showcased previously unreleased iterations of the Stan Smith, thereby establishing a connection between the silhouette’s past, present, and future.
The Stan Smith Residency thus serves not only as a tribute to a classic but also as a deliberate look ahead to the coming months.
After recently focusing heavily on running, terrace, and retro models, adidas Originals appears to be shifting its attention back to its court silhouettes. The Stan Smith plays a central role in this: as a minimalist classic that continually finds new expression in art, fashion, and pop culture.
Photos via adidas
